Wacht am Rhein: Ride of the Valkyries - Part 1

At the end of last month, I broke out my copy of Wacht am Rhein again to try a more maneuverable scenario: Ride of the Valkyries. It showed pretty effectively why the 1st SS Panzer Division had a better time advancing at the start of the German offensive than the 12th SS Panzer Division.

Dec 16:

Four German divisions move to contact with the 2nd and 99th Infantry Divisions, targeting weak points along a 23-mile front. Von der Heydte successfully drops behind the US line. Three Volksgrendier Divisions and the 3rd Fallschirmjaeger Division, supported by a massing of 6th Panzer Army artillery, try to hem in the two US infantry divisions at Elsenborn, to allow the 2 SS panzer divisions to try and execute a pincer movement around them. By noon, progress is mixed. The 3rd Fallschirmjaeger and 12th Volksgrenadier divisions punch through the 99th Division's south flank while the remaining two Volksgrenadier divisions fail to press forward on the entrenched Americans.

As the day wears on, the Americans slowly begin to respond, and as the 99th's south flank begins to unravel, Otto Skorzeny's Einheit Stielau units begin to eliminate forward units and slip through the American lines. A few of the units are captured behind enemy lines but most make it through. Then the 1st and 12th SS Panzer divisions are released. The 1st SS, led by KG Peiper, moves to exploit the gap created by the 3rd Fallschirmjaeger division is opposed only by the 99th Division's HQ position at Bullingen. For the 12th SS, the road west is blocked by the 2nd Infantry Division.

Dec 17:

With the Germans punching through north and south, the 2nd and 99th infantry divisions form a protective ring around Elsenborn ridge and the town of Elsenborn. Elements of the 5th and 7th armored divisions arrive from farther north along the line to block the advance of the 12th SS Panzer Division. The 12th finds its path of advance blocked, but the 1st SS presses west.

With additional support, the 277th and 12th Volksgrenadier divisions start to push back the remainder of the 99th Infantry division, turning their pressure north, widening the corridor for Peiper's advance. Otto Skorzeny's troops successfully delay the arrival of US armor in Monschau, allowing the 12th SS to secure the town after finally breaking through the 2nd Infantry Division's road blocks and piecing the thin reserve line held by cavalry recon forces.

12th SS puts pressure on the armored forces of the 5th and 7th US armored divisions outside of Mutzenich and the 1st SS hammers the mixed corps and 1st US Army units in the region of Malmedy, south of the Ambleve river. 

As the Germans continue their advance throughout the day, the panzer forces manage to isolate and eliminate straggling forces, mostly from the 99th infantry. As night nears, the 2nd and 99th are in danger of being completely surrounded. With the Germans slowly pressing forward on their front, both US divisions begin a general withdrawal west. Outer defenses move back to Elsenborn. 

Luckily for the 2nd and 99th, additional infantry forces arrive to relieve some pressure. Elements of the 9th Infantry Division link up with the elements of 5th armor, and move to block the 12th SS. Farther south, elements of the 1st and 30th infantry divisions race to oppose the 1st SS Panzer Division's advance.

Von Der Heyde's company, still holding the Eupen-Malmedy road, is finally dislodged by the 2/47 infantry regiment and is forced to towards the positions of the 12th SS Panzer Division.

Advance elements of the 150th Panzer Brigade meanwhile attack the HQ positions of the 2nd US Infantry as it pulls back outside of Elsenborn. Luckily, thanks to the onset of darkness, the panzers are unable to press an initial breakthrough, and are prevented from completely overrunning the divisional HQ.

Dec 18: 

The 1st SS Panzer Division continues its advance west, and the US corps and army forces race to place blocking forces near Tros Ponts. In the process of racing to block Peiper (whose heavy armor is held up by the M10 tank destroyers and infantry of the 1st Infantry Division outside of Malmedy), the Americans leave Stavelot undefended, finally providing the Germans with safe passage over the Warche river. The result is disastrous, and Peiper capitalizes on the sudden momentum, forcing a crossing at Malmedy, leaving the GIs of the 1st US infantry almost completely surrounded and the 1st SS division within reach of the US rear area.

SPW’s Der Weltkrieg – Tannenberg: Eagles in the East

SPW’s Tannenberg was the first game of the Der Weltkrieg that I played many years ago when I was expanding my foray into wargames beyond Advanced Squad Leader. (I later had to revisit ASL and relearn the game after many failed attempts to play through the first starter kit, but that’s a story for another time).

The Tannenberg scenario is a quick and easy scenario to play through. If you play fast (which I seldom manage to do) you can get through it in an afternoon once you’re all set up.

For reference, Decision Games’s Wacht am Rhein scenario Race to Bastogne that I’ve now twice documented on AARCentral is described as a tournament style scenario that should only take 2-3 hours to play through. On my second playthrough, my faster of the two, it was up for about a week in my apartment.

This time around in Tannenberg, I managed to play it through an evening and a morning, which per my standards is flying through the game. This is at least thanks in part to the simplicity and ease of learn SPW’s Der Weltkrieg system. The only limiting factor keeping me from playing longer scenarios/campaigns – other than space which is difficult to ratio in a 535 sf apartment – is the supply expenditure system in Der Weltkrieg. The Grand Campaign aside, which I know addresses this in part, each opposing side’s offensive potential in Der Weltkrieg is really hampered by two factors, the limited amount of supply and the cost of a poorly supported attack when opposed by a 3x counterattack.

As one commenter I had read previously observed, this does adequately represent the localized, offensive potential of a front or an army. Resources and support are stockpiled, and then – if done properly – efficiently expended in order to make a breakthrough or move the front a few kilometers. Then, the frontline troops are thinned to the point of needing to halt and/or supplies run out, necessitating an end to the offensive. Coupled with the threat of devastation from a 3x counterattack – with the benefit of hindsight from 3-4 scenarios over the years – this may make a lot of sense when trying to recreate the reality on the battlefield in WW1. Once supplies run thin for one side, their ability to match the attrition inflicted by their opponent wanes, and where either side was losing 4-5% of their fighting strength in an exchange, once one side gets the upper hand – provided they’re both still slogging away endlessly, which I find to be the case when I play Der Weltkrieg – the magnitude of attrition expands to 10-20% in favor of the side with remaining supply and at least equivalent combat strength. This is something I observed on the outskirts of Warsaw in my game this past weekend.

In this playthrough of Tannenberg, the game lasted from mid-August through October before I had to concede for the Russian position. The ‘Russian’ Steamroller did not make it past the frontier in East Prussia, and eventually found itself on the retreat in Poland.

The game started off historically, and I did all in my power to recreate the German tactics used in East Prussia in 1914. With the Russian first army just outside East Prussia racing for Konigsberg from turn 1, I used my cavalry, Landwehr forces, and two reserve divisions to screen the Russian advance. The resto f the German 8^th Army meanwhile consolidated south of Allenstein (the seat of the German HQ) in east Prussia) and raced to deal a knockout blow to the Russian 2^nd Army. Unless I skipped over it some place, due to the mobilization restrictions of the Russian forces, I managed to pin the Russians in Poland against Warsaw before most of the 2^nd Army had an opportunity to strike north. This stretched my forces thin against the Russian 1^st Army – it was looking dire for a while – but they managed to hold the line without breaking.

Part of the dire straights were due to my own house rule. I adopted a rule used in GRD’s Europa – Balkan Front. In Balkan front, non-divisional units cannot operate in their full fighting capacity unless they are supported by other units (unless of course they were identified as capable of operating independently. It’s a unique rule, and one I appreciated. As such, for all Landwehr brigades, I tried to have them operate with other units as opposed to independently. Especially given each hex covers 20km, it doesn’t seem realistic that single Landwehr brigade could hold up four Russian cavalry divisions.

What transpired outside of Warsaw – as the Russian 1^st Army raced on Konigsberg – was arguably my most negligent strategy of the game: wholesale slaughter in the fight for attrition. My goal was to bloody the Russian 2^nd beyond reinforcement and then race north to defend against the Russian 1^st. The Germans are best aided in this game not by the reinforcements they receive in September (the Russian’s secured 41 points trying to pressure Konigsberg so I received 1 Guard division, 3 infantry divisions, and a cavalry division) but by the terrain separating the Russian 1^st and 2^nd. The swamps and forts east of Allenstein are the missing link needed to hold off the Russian 1^st while warding off the 2^nd.

The German 8th attacks Warsaw as the Russian 1st moves on Konigsberg (got to love the glare)

Five or six rounds of combat were exchanged between the German 8^th and Russian 2^nd. It was pretty evenly matched in terms of die rolls, but the Russian 2^nd wore down quicker. Most German units had suffered 25-50% casualties when one final Russian attack, weakened by more than 50%, was met by a German counterattack that inflicted 4 times as many casualties. That was the breaking point. There were barely four combat-active units remaining and the German 8^th pulled back north, just as the Russian 1^st consolidated for a second push. The German 8^th relocated just in time to halt the Russian 1^st’s attack, which had been slowly grinding away at the German Landwehr and reserve divisions in their path.

The emergency reserves arrive for the Germans and hold the south edge of East Prussia as the Russian 1^st and German 8^th face off for the month of September. As more Russian reserve formations trickled in though, the Russian 2^nd swelled back to fighting capability and moved north. This was a mistake. Moving out of Warsaw, the Russian 2^nd had enough force to drive ahead of the Army’s HQ, but not cover its flanks. With the Finns, Siberians, and Turks trying to assail one of the forts east of Allenstein, there were no reserves within reach in that part of the sector. Trying to put pressure on the German underbelly, the Russian 2^nd extended too far. This allowed the reserve German cavalry and emergency forces to surround and isolate the Russian 22^nd, 24^th, and 79^th Reserve divisions. After two more turns, the Russian’s were completely encircled and eliminated. The encircling forces then moved south the lay siege to the Russian 10^th Army as it tried to scrape together a defense in Warsaw.

The Russian 2nd Army is surrounded

The Germans then press the Warsaw defenses

By October, the only field-worthy force – the Russian 1^st Army – had been stopped short by the German 8^th and both armies had exhausted their offensive capabilities. With more than 100 VPs in the German favor, I conceded the game to a decisive German victory.

Here’s a snapshot of the losses at game’s end. The top row are those forces surrounded and eliminated in one single encirclement. A bloody battle indeed.

The Courier's Bulletin -- #07 -- The Battle of Baltimore

 Courier's Bulletin #07

- General P.G.T. Beauregard's Army of the Potomac advanced on Northern Maryland through November and secured the City and Port of Baltimore in December 1861. What followed were two weeks of aggressive marching and counter-marching to prevent being cut off by the Federal Army of the Northeast. The following telegrams were received on December 18, 1861, on the eve of General Beauregard's defeat against the Federal forces. 

Telegram(s):

- General Beauregard's army, 25,000 strong, having dispensed of raiding forces West of Baltimore, counter-marched East as the Army of the Northeast moved on Fort McHenry.

- As evening drew, the Confederate forces found themselves between the two main wings of the opposing army. Weary, they deployed for combat and held the line, waiting for the Federal advance. The northern Federal wing struck first and broke against the Confederate front. Attempting to turn the halt into a route, General Bill Hardee ordered a counter-charge, which broke. Exhausted and on the verge of falling where they stood, the Confederate attempt to force a route turned into a route of its own.

- Generals A. S Johnston and Cleburne made similar attempts at forcing a route as the Federals advanced on the south flank of the Confederate line. The result was disastrous. The Federals, halted, but not broken, regrouped and began mop-up operations as the entire Army of the Potomac was forced to retire.

Casualty Report:

- Casualties are impossible to accurately determine as southern brigades continue their withdrawal from the field. Immediate estimates suggest losses in the 4,000-5,000 range for the Confederates, amounting to as much as  fifth of the Army's fighting force.

- General Beauregard and his men have abandoned Baltimore, Fort McHenry, and will likely be forced to retire into Virginia. 

Battling through the Pindus Mountains - Testing out Europa III Balkan Front

Europa III (Balkan Front 1990)

November 1, 1940 - December 31, 1940

The Italians launch their fated invasion of Greece in 1940 ...

Set up at the start, I tried to see whether or not the Italians could break the Greek front along the Pindus mountains without the support of the Germans or other Axis forces. I gave it until the end of 1940 to see if progress was possible, and I was pleasantly surprised. At first, my progress was expectedly pushed back, but as additionally divisions were diverted to the theater -- solely from Italy -- it was clear that the invasion didn't have to end with a counter-attack that reached back into Albania. The most critical factor: the Metaxas Line.

November 1940:

On the southern edge of the Pindus mountains, the Italians concentrate their offensive forces along the Albanian-Greek coast in the 4th (semi-armored) and 11th Corps. The northern end is held by Albanian forces and the reserve 6th Corps. The Italian 4th and 11th surge across the border. The 4th makes decent progress (overrunning a border guard brigade) and the 11th (supported by the 3rd Mountain Division) is halted by two Greek mountain regiments. Albanian forces fail to make headway and are forced back from the border.

The Italian 4th, which makes it to Egoumenitsa, is struck by two Greek mountain divisions and an assortment of independent brigades, halting further advance south.

The weather worsens and turns to rain. The 4th and 11th Corps, supported by Italian bombers from the mainland, keep the gathering forces along the Pindus Mountains at bay, supported by addition infantry forces ferried over from Taranto forming the 14th Corps.

On Kerkyra, recon and assault forces from Bari land on the island, surrounding the 10th Independent Regiment, and eventually eliminating it.

Italian aircraft from Valona bomb the airbase at Larisa and knock out the remaining fighters and interceptors there. 

The 4th and 11th continue to vie for a superior position in the southern Pindus Mountains but fail to make real headway, and more Greek mountain divisions continue to arrive. The Greeks launch a local counterattack and manage to send the 4th Corps back across the Albanian border.

December 1940:

Weather continues to worsen, as does the Italian offensive. Additional Greek reserves are hard to come by, however. With the Bulgarians not yet in the war, the Greeks are forced to man the Metaxas line with 15 regimental equivalents.

Italian motorized units on the coast fail to make headway in a renewed assault, but an attack led by the Trieste Mountain Division successfully dislodges the 3rd Greek Mountain Division. A counterattack meant to reverse the Italian advance fails.

With winter weather coming, the 14th Corps takes over for the 2nd Italian Mountain Division. In concert with the 11th Corps, they make a drive on Egoumenitsa and manage to secure the city. Deep in the Pindus mountains, the 4th Corps also makes headway out of Albania, pushing back 2 independent regiments. 

The Greeks redeploy and launch counterattacks, but all fail.

A final look at the map.

As the new year begins, the Greeks along the Pindus Mountains little by little continue to be pushed back, as the Italian concentration of forces outweighs those needed to hold them at bay. Due to manning the Metaxas line, which could be stripped if Bulgaria joins the war, the Greeks cannot adequately reinforce their most defendable sector. 

It's an interesting observation. Under the right circumstances, the Italians are better off in their poorly timed invasion of Greece if they don't call Bulgaria into the war. That's all I needed to get out of this session.

Wacht am Rhein: To Save Bastogne -- Breaking through the Bois de Haie Dille

Wacht am Rhein

To Save Bastogne Scenario
7/4/22

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This was a wild game! Based on my last post breaking down the strategies for the Germans, I did my best to execute it according to plan. This is really a tough one to win as the Germans, but a real dilemma for the Americans on how to stop the Germans. 

I'd always do well to remember one of Frederick the Great's best known maxims: he who defends everything, defends nothing. 

Dec 18 AM & PM: the Americans set up roadblocks to keep the Germans from charging too far west. They concentrate their forces as well to prevent the piecemeal destruction of the armor. 

3 German Kampfgruppen (KG) arrive. 9th Armor (Combat Command R) defends trails east of the Bastogne-Houffalize Road. 10th Armor (Combat Command B) guards the routes into Bastogne. 

KG Coch cuts of Task Force Rose north of Troine. The Task Force is bloodied but manages to make it to Houffalize under the cover of darkness.

Dec 18 Night: The Americans form a defensive perimeter east of the Bastogne-Houffalize Rd. 

Pz Lehr strikes CCB at Longvilly and breaks through. CCB is evicted from its positions with heavily losses, pursued by KG von Fallois. Luckily, the rest of CCB maneuvers to halt the movement of KG Haus. 

KG Coch strikes supporting, ad hoc forces north east of Noville. The Panthers break through & annihilate the Allied position. KG Coch exploits the breakthrough.

Dec 18 ENA: The Germans opt for extended night activity, but the die rolls favor the Americans. The Americans move first, and most manage to fall back and stem the tide of the German breakthrough. The Germans decide to capitalize on the Allied move, by declining to advance, meaning only the Americans are now fatigued.

Dec 19 AM: The 101st Airborne arrives in Bastogne. 

KGs Holt and von Porsche arrive. The 26th Volksgrenadiers and KG von Fallois position themselves to block the 101st. This allows KG Coch & Haus to make a run for the exit. 

KG Coch hits the bulk of CCR at the crossroads on the Bertogne-Houffalize Rd. The American tankers luckily give the German panthers a bloody nose and fall back on Compagne. 

Dec 19 PM: The 101st moves into position. The 501st parachute infantry regiment (PIR) races to Bertogne. The 502nd and 506th form a perimeter around Bastogne. The glider infantry head east and the tankers and engineers trapped in Bourcy fall back.

Dec 19 Night: The Germans get hit by counter-attacks outside of Bastogne and in the Bois de Haie Dille. 

Both American attacks are sent back and the Germans make counter strokes in & around Bertogne. The Americans are thrown back and on the cusp of losing Bois de Haie Dille.

Dec 20 AM: The Americans try to position so that they can halt the German exit and protect Bastogne. 

The Germans in their next push manage to capture Luzery and nearly the 502 PIR. 

The 705 TD battalion is destroyed in Hernival & KG Coch moves on Ortho (the victory exit in reach). The 3/501 is thrown out of Bertogne and as KG Holt moves into the town, the 1st battalion 501 as well as part of CCR is surrounded. The bulk of Pz Lehr attacks and liquidizes the pocket.

Elements of the 5th Fallschirmjaegers break through to the south of Bastogne, putting pressure on the American position from the rear.

Dec 20 PM: The Germans make one final attack on Bastogne and capture the north side of the town. They also open a corridor from Bertogne to Ortho, and the German armor begins to exit.

Dec 20 Night: The US have lost. They cannot budge the Germans and KGs Haus, Holt, von Porsche, and Coch exit through Ortho. 

The Germans Win! 12 VPs (German) vs 4 VPs (American)

Frederick the Great - 1756

SPI's Frederick the Great
1756 Scenario
6.27.22
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This was a test game to see if I'd enjoy playing the other scenarios. The rules concerning sieges made it clear that this game isn't perfectly tailored for solitary play. It was a good way to learn though.

The two main fronts in this game were Saxony and Silesia. In Saxony, the Prussians were on the offensive. In Silesia, it was the Austrians on the offensive.

The Prussians in Saxony pursued a campaign to besiege the Coalition forts there from a base in Leipzig. Browne (Austrian) prepared for a campaign in Silesia from Koeniggraetz. 

In an impromptu move, the Prussians in Silesia join forces and decide to advance in Austria first. Browne's force is joined by the garrison already at Koeniggraetz for an epic battle.

It's a 23 (Austrian) vs 17 (Prussian) engagement. The Austrians, even reinforced, take a brutal hit, but one they can afford. They lose nearly twice as many men along with one of their field commanders. The Austrians flee the field and return into Koeniggraetz.

In Saxony, the Prussian assault fairs poorly. From Leipzig, they strike at Torgau and bungle the assault. Before they can set up siege works, Coalition forces arrive and throw them back to Leipzig. 

With the coalition at Torgau, the Prussians at Leipzig divide and occupy Dresden. 

There's a force shift as both sides jockey for position through October. A Saxon raid strikes toward Magdeburg, drawing a Prussian response, and an offensive out of Koeniggraetz tries to cross into Silesia. 

Winter: Frederick's army is stuck besieging Torgau. The Austrians in Silesia are forced to make an end of the year assault on Glatz. 

The first attempted breach of Torgau is a failure. On the second try, the Prussians take Torgau, losing 12 SPs. The Austrians seize Glatz, and winter sets in, ending the campaign. 

Prussian VPs: 55                            Austrian VPs: 40

Prussian SPs Lost: 28                    Austrian SPs Lost: 23

Hell Week Over Halberstadt

Dan Verssen Games

B-17 Leader

Jan 8, 2019

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This game was conducted in the winter of 2019. I just came across my notes from that game and have decided to make them available here. 

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Combined Bomber Operations, June 1943

Outfitting the 8th Airforce:

20th Fighter Group: P38s

31st Fighter Group: Spitfires

351st Bomber Group: B17Gs

385th Bomber Group: B17Gs

388th Bomber Group: B17Gs

389th Bomber Group: B24Ds

448th Bomber Group: B24Hs

2 Recon Assets

June Week 1:

Weather in the UK is clear, mostly cloudy over France, clear nearer Switzerland, and partly cloudy over Germany.

Recon missions are sent out ahead of operations for the week. The recon assets discover weaknesses in the approach to the Naval port on the Elbe. 

Escorted by the 20th FG, the 389th and 448th BGs take off for the naval port on the Elbe, expecting heavy resistance. 

Communication failures at the outset misdirect the 20th FG, meaning the B24s have to brave the strike on the Elbe unescorted. To make matters worse, despite good weather on the target-bound flight, the groups become dispersed. 

Headed NE, the bombers meet the first flight of bandits. Rocket-armed BF109s take out the lead B24 of the 448th BG. The bandits then weave in-and-out of the dispersed 448th, sending down a second B24 and further disrupting the American formation. Heavy ME410s then sweep in to take advantage of the disruption caused by the BF109s. The ME heavies send down a further 9 B24s. Despite their losses, the gunners of the 448th manage to send down all of he BF109s and ME410s.

A flight of BF110s attempt to harass the 389th but are luckily unsuccessful.  The green gunners of the 389th fail in turn to ward off the BF110s. The bandits reform in the rear of the 389th and manage to take down 6 of the B24Ds on the second run, before returning to their base near Hamburg. 

The 389th and 448th, bloodied but in tack, tighten up their formations as they near the naval port. A second flight of BF110s appear nearer the target and target the 448th. In exchange for 6 further B24s, all of the BF110s are sent down in flames. 

Over the target, evidence of British night bombing shows heavy damage to the naval port, but the enemy flak installations remain undamaged. Both bomber groups suffer further losses over the target. The 448th loses 6 B24s, the 389th 9 B24s. Despite their growing losses, the 448th manages to score a hit on the port. The incendiary bombs of the 389th miss their target. Thanks to the success of British night bombing, the hit scored by the 448th advances the naval port to "heavily damaged" status. Now out of bombs, the two bomber groups turn home.

On the homebound flight, the B24s run into one last wave of bandits: a veteran squadron of FW interceptors. The initial pass of the FW190s luckily yields no losses, but after hard pursuit, they manage to send down another half dozen bombers before returning back to Germany. 

Of the original 48 B24Hs of the 448th BG, only 15 return to base with a majority of the 389th. Both groups will need to rest next week and recoup their losses. 

The three other BGs with B17Gs (the 99th Bomber Wing) head out to bomb a factory in Halberstadt. Prior to take off, intel reports suggest that German priority for the target is low.

On the target-bound flight, the B17s encounter no bandits over the channel, and their British fighter escorts turn back as they reach French coast. Finally near the target, the B17s encounter novice interceptors in BF109s. Armed from above with rockets, the BF109s get a lucky strike on bombers of the 351st BG, sending down three of the B17s and dispersing the group. The bandits pass through the remainder of the formation undamaged and return without further harassing the B17s. 

Over Halberstadt, the American bombers manage to avoid losses from flak. The 385th passes over the target first: 0 hits. Next comes the 351st: 1 hit. Then comes the 388th: 2 hits. One more hit and the factory would have suffered a reduction in output.

Turning back to the coast for the homebound flight, the bombers are met by a flight of FW190 interceptors. Targeting the bombers of the 388th, 6 B17s are sent down. Luckily, the bombers manage to send down all of the bandits, and the bombers return to base without suffering further loss. 

Thus ends the first week. 

Week 2:

At the start of the week, two new commanders arrive: fighter commander Zemke is assigned to the 31st FG and commander Roper in the 388th BG. New recon units also arrive as well.

Undertaking their own missions, the recon assets uncover weaknesses in the positions at Halberstadt and the airfield at Angers, France. 

The 99th Bomber Wing then prepares to attack the factory at Halberstadt again. 

German response for the mission is expected to be high as the 31st FG takes to the skies, escorting the B17s. Roper and the 388th are armed with M50A1 Incendiary Bombs. Flying the same vector as before, more bandits form up to oppose the bombers over the channel.

A mix of veteran and green FW interceptors are warded off by the Spitfires, but a flight of BF109s manage to make it through the fighter screen and target the B17s. Three Spitfires are sent down before the FWs are forced to retire. The BF109s for their part send down a couple B17s, but otherwise fail to do further damage. All bandits are warded off. 

Over the Ruhr, more German bandits are intercepted by Zemke's FG. A handful of his fighters are lost to the bandits, but they luckily keep the bombers safe. Zemke turn's back, leaving the 99th bomber wing to continue the mission. 

Over Halberstadt, flak losses are high. The 385th passes unscathed, the 351st loses 9, and worse hit is the 388th, which loses 15 bombers. 

Despite their losses, all groups pass over the factory and manage to let-loose their payloads. The 385th scores 1 hit, the 351st 2 hits, and the 388th 0 hits. The resultant bombing leaves the factory suffering from heavy damage. Turning around, the bombers reach the channel before meeting a pack of bandits.

A group of FW190s an BF110s meet up to attack the bombers. The 110s fail to take out any bombers, and under concentrated fire from Roper's group, many of the 110s are sent down in flames.

Week 3 (at this point I started taking bulleted notes):

The 389th and 448th BGs are back in action, reinforced, and better equipped!

They take another stab at the naval port on the Elbe and this time manage to take it out! Success.

The 99th Bomber wings switches targets this week and fly out to Angers, France. The airfield their is heavily damage and the recon elements report that it's eventually abandoned by the Germans. 

Week 4:

The 99th Bomber Wing returns to Halberstadt and destroys the ball-bearing factory their, finally completing a month's worth of work.

The B24s of the 389th and 448th launch a fire raid on Le Trait. Poor weather and smoke pots on the ground unfortunately yield a failure for the B24s, but global reports for the end of the month are positive. The Allies have captured Tunisia, won at Kursk, and gone on to occupy Kyiv. 

July Week 1:

The B24s return to Le Trait and manage to destroy the naval positions there. The cost for success in this case was high though. Zemke's 31st FG suffers abhorrent losses, and is out of action for the remainder of the month.

The B17s return to Halberstadt and obliterate a new target: an aircraft factory. 

Week 2:

The B24s fly out to La Pallice and destroy a naval port there. 

The B17s fly out to Nantes and destroy an airfield there.

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At this point, I felt I'd pretty much built my bomber groups up to the point that they couldn't be defeated, so I called it a game. I'll revisit this game soon.

Taking Norway - Playing Through GRD Europa IV

My first foray into GRD/GDW's Europa series was with the fourth Europa game, Narvik. If it's any indication as to my feelings about the series, I acquired Europa III and XIV (the Balkans and the Winter War) in the middle of my first game. Needless to say, I will be returning. 

It's quite different than other games though in the way the rules are written and the game is orchestrated, so it took me a few reads to get the gist of it. Anyone interested in the Norwegian campaign should read Johan Waage's account of the invasion in the north of the country, with the fighting around Narvik. It's based on eyewitness accounts but it reads more like a novel. Reminds me of Burlington, VT, where I first read it. 

The invasion started off relatively well, but I was plagued by British destroyers and interceptors throughout. If I remember everything right, I lost 2/3 of my divisional HQs in transit to Norway over the course of the campaign.

It started with the Third Mountain Division. The very first die roll. The very first piece. I needed a 1-5. Instead, I was gifted a six, and with it General Dietl's eternal scorn for losing the Third Mountain Division HQ. I at least pounded the defenders there for my loss.

Only 2/3 of the rest of the division makes it ashore. Not to worry though, Narvik is secured and with the loss of my transports in the waters off the port, the sailors for a weak Naval regiment and assist in garrison duties. (The fact that this is even an option in the game made it a winner in my view).

Farther south. There are several landing operations. The 69th division lands at Kristiansand (the Norwegian port closest to Germany), and the 163rd division lands at Andalsnes, north of Bergen. 

The Allied response is aggressive, and I now know not to concentrate my forces to 2 ports on the first turn (discounting Narvik). The interdiction squadrons keep me out of Kristiansand and make it impossible to resupply Narvik. Norwegian forces also maneuvered to block any advance out of Andalsnes - which was only possible since I didn't afford them a lot of supply for offensive operations - meaning the airfield at Kristiansand was my only lifeline to continue the invasion.

The Germans consolidate their foothold in Narvik, and throw out pickets to keep the Allies at bay. The captured Swedish supplies from across the Swedish border came in handy.

The going was rough for the first 5 turns, but thanks to the 69th Infantry, I managed to start pushing to Norwegians in the south back on Oslo. On April 20, the 69th pins a brigade of Norwegian infantry on its retreat back to Oslo, eliminating His Majesty's King's Guards and allowing the 181st German Infantry Division (newly arrived) to trap the 24th British Guards Brigade in Larvik. German Ju88s had previously destroyed the port so the British were unable to extract the brigade.

At Andalsnes, German transport ships run a gauntlet of destroyers and naval bombers to get much needed supplies to the 163rd Division. With their resupply, the 163rd breaks out of its beachhead at Andalsnes, eliminates an independent Norwegian brigade group, and moves south. 

In the Narvik region, the noose begins to tighten around the German positions. A group of Allied forces land south of Narvik and newly mobilized Norwegian reserves to the north begin closing in.

With the invasion slogging on, I launched a pretty daring raid on Bergen that just barely paid off. 2 Fallschirmjaeger companies were landed in Bergen with supplies and supported by an air-fleet of Ju87s, wrestled control of the port, eliminating the British marines there. 

I certainly won't be attempting that again. I only went through with it once the first jump from my Ju52s was successful (I needed a 1-2 on a 1d6). 

That same day, the Germans secure a port free from interdiction north of Larvik and the 2nd, 3rd, and 8th Brigades of the Norwegian Army are entirely destroyed in isolated combats. A dark day for the Allies, but it costs the 163rd Division a good deal of its strength. Down to 25% of its paper strength, the 163rd holds the road to Andalsnes and threatens to cut off the 5th Norwegian Brigade. Luckily, over the course of the new few days, reinforcements are landed in Andalsnes, bolstering the 163rd Division's position. 

The British Carrier Ark Royal, within strike distance of Andalsnes, continues to harass the Germans there. From Stavanger and Denmark, German bombers attempt to dispatch of the British carrier. In various waves, inclement weather forces back many of the bombers, and many others fail to locate the Ark Royal. With both a fighter screen and a flak screen to penetrate, the bombers that are left fail to get through the British defenses. The strike is turned back, at great cost to the Germans.

Despite their inability to push West from Oslo, the Allies catch a break on May 1st. Andalsnes and the 163rd Division are lost. Bombers out of Trondheim strike the German position, and then the 5th Norwegian brigade, supported by the 148th British Brigade, overruns the Germans and advances to the coast, securing the German-held port. 

On May 5th, the Germans cross over the rivers north of Oslo. Heavy bombers out of Hamburg blast the 15th British Brigade and Norwegian Group Dahl, allowing the 170th, 181st, and artillery from the 69th Division to make an advance. In Larvik, the rest of the 69h Division continues to besiege the 24th Guards.

The Germans begin a slow mop-up of the Oslo defenders. The 214th Infantry Division arrives for the Germans north of Larvik (but like so many other divisions, it's divisional HQ staff is lost in transit). The 11th Motorized Brigade's HQ is also lost in transit. (I will note my version of Europa IV has the 11th Mot Bdge's counters marked as mechanized units as opposed to motorized units, but I do know this was corrected in later versions).

In the Narvik region, I managed to forestall disaster for at least a week. British, French, Polish, and Norwegian forces were by now concentrated in the area. Not a good sign, especially with the 5th and 27th French mountain brigades leading the charge. The 27th leads an assault on the 3rd Mountain division position in the mountains south of Narvik. It's a bungled assault, costing the French dearly. They bring up the 5th in support the next week, and break through. At that point, I knew I'd lost Narvik.

The Poles north of the port town really brought the ratio into the Allied favor, and within another week, the rest of the 3rd Mountain division was lost. My favorite naval regiment in Harstad was lost shortly thereafter. 

I traded Narvik for Oslo, and taking another major risk, landed the 2nd Mountain Division in Andalsnes. Some of the battalions got through, and thanks to the overwhelming air superiority that I commanded at this point, I managed to survive the landing and retain control of the port. Victory might just be possible!

Minus the Norwegian battalions strung out, and trapped along, the Bergen-Oslo road, the Allies concentrate their forces at Trondheim. Racing against the clock, a motley crew of German infantry, armor, trucks, and artillery sprint for victory.

Chipping away at the forces in their path, thanks to the robust units of the 214th Division and what remnants of the 69th remain, the Germans and their air support slide victory points in their favor. Without Narvik, I needed every other port in the south of the country and more elimination points in my favor. The Allied mistake: sending the Poles and the British south to support the defense of Trondheim (I wanted to make it realistic though, so I wasn't about to just sacrifice Trondheim without concerted Allied effort).  

The way it ultimately shakes out? I eliminated a Polish battalion and forced the VP totals in my favor by one point on the very last turn, securing a marginal German victory. I probably would have lost had I been paired up against someone to take the Allied side, but I have fixation on the "what-if?" Needless to say, I won't be landing the 3rd Mtn Div at Narvik alone anymore. That just doesn't ever shake out well. Sorry Deitl.

Next up, let's see if I can win as the Germans at Bastogne again!

-- Dan

The Courier's Bulletin -- #06 -- The Battle of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

  Courier' Bulletin #06

- P.G.T Beauregard's Army of the Potomac (S) bluffs the Union army out of Washington and manages to secure it. The Union army is forced to retire on Baltimore, and Patterson's Department of Pennsylvania moves east to Frederick, MD. With two armies in the vicinity, J. E. Johnston moves his men from Cumberland on Frederick from the West, and Beauregard strikes up from the SE on November 9 (1861).

Strength Report:

Department of Pennsylvania (Patterson):

Men: 8,500

Cavalry: 2,600

Guns: 5

 Army of the Shenandoah & Army of the Potomac (Johnston): 

Men: 28,740

Cavalry: 1,474

Guns: 86

Telegram(s):

-  Johnston's force deploys to the field first. The Confederates man a stream bed and wait for the Union force to arrive. Indeed, the Union forces arrive around 2PM and press an early attack. In the woods opposite the stream, three brigades from Patterson's forces amass opposite Jackson's brigade, pouring on the fire.

- The Union cavalry threaten a crossing south of Johnston, forcing Lawton's division to hold the line, refusing Jackson their support. After suffering 400+ casualties, Jackson is forced to pull back.

- The rest of Johnston's forces inflict enough casualties on Patterson to force the Union to pull back, at which point Beauregard arrives to complete the mop-up of a bloody skirmish.

Casualty Report:

- Union Casualties: 3,600

- Confederate Casualties: 2,296

- Patterson's army falls back from Frederick and Johnston moves back toward Cumberland (only to find himself trapped between the Union army from Baltimore in pursuit, and a new force out from Indiana that slipped undetected through West Virginia) ...

Those D*** French Forts - The Impenetrable Mareth Line

 

The Mareth Line, March 1943. The Afrika Korps is expelled from Libya and forced into Tunisia, pursued by the British 8th Army, fast in pursuit. The retreating Germans and Italians occupy the old French fortifications at the town of Mareth on the Tunisian coast ... and at least in my own accursed universe, not even the vaunted 8th Army could overcome those damn French fortifications. 

I tried out a few different strategies for both sides, and neither really came to fruition. I used the last of the German armor in an offensive capacity to apply pressure to the British underbelly as they struck NW on Mareth. I managed to deal a knockout blow to the 2nd New Zealand Division, but I failed to achieve a further breakthrough. The 10th Panzer Division and the 164th Light Division pinned the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division and pierced the British line, but their advance was halted by the 1st British Armored Division, held in reserve. Without further supplies, the German strike stalled.

The British nonetheless managed to pierce the first line of Italian defenses, but they couldn't dislodged the mixed units along the road. Their assault parallel to the wadis was repulsed 7-8 times (thanks in part to the presence of the, independent, 47th German Infantry regiment). 

The one major victory for the British was their annihilation of the German airbase in Gabes; despite flak losses to their bombers in the initial attempts, the British managed to knock out the Axis base.

First the 7th British Armored (the Desert Rats) and later the 1st Armored Division as well, launched repeated assaults on Mareth after skirting the line around the Axis position on the coast road. Despite the massing of artillery, air strikes, and attrition to the supporting Italian units, the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment, the main anchor at Mareth, managed to hold the line without significant loss.

Next up: Scandinavia.